Prime Minister's Tea Party and Other Political Updates

Organizing a tea party today in his official residence in Baluwatar the Prime Minister told the invitees (top political leaders of most of the parties) that a constitution that represented the aspiration of all Nepali people needed to be drafted by the constituent assembly.

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala announced today that he has started dialogue with all the political parties within the Seven Party Alliance (SPA) and other newly emerged Terai-based parties for smooth proceedings of the Constituent Assembly which is set to convene within a fortnight. He asked other parties to go ahead with the consultation process to lead the political process to a logical conclusion. He stressed that the all the political parties must decide on how to go jointly in the upcoming days like before. The PM had invited all 25 political parties represented in the CA to the tea party, but leaders of Terai Madhesh Loktantrik Party, Janashakti Party and Rastriya Prajatantra Party didn’t show up.

Taskforce for first CA meeting starting its work from today: The taskforce formed to work out the procedure, working list and agenda for the first Constituent Assembly (CA) meeting is scheduled to begin its work from today. A meeting of the taskforce is due to take place at the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction this evening, member of the taskforce CP Mainali informed. Apart from the CA meeting, the taskforce is also responsible for recommending the names of 26 distinguished persons as the CA members to the government.

The taskforce constitutes Maoist leader Baburam Bhattarai and Krishna Bahadur Mahara, Nepali Congress leaders Ram Chandra Poudel and Bimelandra Nidhai, UML’s Jhala Nath Khanal and Bhim Rawal, CPN-ML’s CP Mainali, People’s Front Nepal’s Lila Mani Pokhrel, and Ghanashyam Sharman Poudel and Nepal Worker’s and Peasant Party’s Prem Suwal.
A meeting the ruling Seven-Party Alliance (SPA) yesterday had reached an understanding to call the first CA meeting by the last week of May, for which the taskforce comprising the leaders of the six parties has been formed.

Indecision mars meetings of NC, UML central bodies: Meetings of the central committees of Nepali Congress and CPN (UML), the two major parties that faced embarrassing loss in the recent polls, continue in the capital for nearly two weeks amid internal wrangling.

Today’s meeting of NC’s central working committee (CWC) at Prime Minister and party president Girija Prasad Koirala’s residence in Baluwatar discussed the party’s position regarding the incoming government – most likely be led by the Maoists; the grievances coming from the party ranks over the selection of candidates for proportional seats; and revamping of the leadership in the aftermath of the party’s electoral loss. However, the CWC members appeared just as divided on these issues with some of them voicing strong reservation over the selection of PR candidates, NC sources said. The meeting will resume in Baluwatar at 8 a.m. tomorrow.

Meanwhile, senior NC leader Purna Bahadur Khadka announced his resignation as the CWC member today, citing the continued intra-party wrangling, and accused the party leadership of favouritism while selecting PR candidates. Khadka, a former Home Minister, who was elected under the PR system, also expressed dissatisfaction at the way the party mechanism is functioning. (source)